This invention relates to novel compounds and compositions containing them which are useful for the generation of chemiluminescent emission, that is, the generation of electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths between 330 and 1,000 nanometers by means of a chemical reaction.
The art of generating light via chemical energy, i.e. chemiluminescence, by the reaction of an oxalic acid ester with a hydroperoxide in the presence of a fluorescer compound in organic solvents has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,816,326; 3,781,329; 3,749,679; 3,704,309 and 3,597,362. However, these esters and fluorescers have very poor efficiency in completely aqueous systems.
There is a need, therefore, for aqueous chemiluminescent compositions useful as emergency sources of light for automotive and marine safety purposes, as well as for a wide variety of other uses.